§ MR. J. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that on St. Patrick's Day the sergeants of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons were forbidden to have their usual dance, and instead of St. Patrick's Day being observed according to the custom in this regiment as a holiday, an extra parade was ordered; also, that a junior officer of this regiment was fined for wearing a piece of shamrock in his cap on St. Patrick's Day, although not on parade; who were 101 the officers responsible for these proceedings; and, whether the Commander-in-Chief has made any investigation into these matters, or expressed to the officer responsible for the order of the regiment his views as to such proceedings?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe commanding officer, in his discretion, considered it better that the sergeants should have their dance a few days later. It has not been the custom in the regiment to have a dance on St. Patrick's Day or to keep it as a holiday. No extra parade was ordered, and no officer was lined for wearing shamrock. There was nothing in the proceedings to call for any observations from the Commander-in-Chief.
§ MR. MACNEILLFor what reason was the dance postponed?
§ MR. BRODRICKI believe the dance was postponed at the discretion of the commanding officer. I have no idea what was the reason, and I do not intend to ask. [Cheers.]
§ MR. MACNEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War why, when by letter sent to him to the War Office by the honourable Member for South Donegal, giving what particulars were in his power of the sentence of seven days imprisonment with hard labour for wearing a shamrock, inflicted on an Irish soldier of the 4th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, who was at that time undergoing that sentence, inquiries were not immediately instituted into the case, which if instituted would have had the effect of stopping the further punishment of the prisoner?
The HON. MEMBERalso asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether the authorities have intimated to the commanding officer who sentenced, on the complaint of Sub-Lieutenant Blundell, of the 4th Battalion Royal Rifles, a private named Grindle to seven days' imprisonment with hard labour, for refusing on St. Patrick's Day to take off a shamrock, which Sub-Lieutenant Blundell, in making the order, termed "that dirty bit of greenstuff," any opinion as to the propriety of his conduct in the infliction of a sentence of such severity; whether any explanation has been required from Sub-Lieutenant Blundell of his use of such language, which he has admitted, in reference to the Irish national emblem; and whether the authorities intend, with a view of preventing such occurrences in 102 the future, to express their sense, by reprimand or otherwise, of Sub-Lieutenant Blundell's conduct?
§ MR. BRODRICKIn reply to both Questions, I stated to the House fully some weeks ago the facts of this case and the course taken by the general officer commanding at Aldershot, and I have no further statement to make upon it.
§ MR. MACNEILLDoes the right hon. Gentleman remember that I wrote him a letter and gave him private notice of my intention to put a question with reference to this matter? I gave him the name of the regiment, but could not give him that of the man, and instead of answering, the right lion. Gentleman executed, as a military man, a strategic movement behind the Speaker's chair. [Laughter.]
§ MR. BRODRICKThe hon. Member addressed me an indefinite question by means of a letter as to whether certain events had happened at Aldershot with regard to individuals whoso names he did not mention. I told him if he would supply me with the mimes I would endeavour to get the information.
§ MR. MACNEILLasserted that the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the second question now addressed to him.
§ MR. BRODRICKI made a full statement with regard to what has occurred, and I am not prepared t make any further statement.
§ MR. MACNEILLagain rose, when,
§ *MR. SPEAKER,interposing, said: The right hon. Gentleman is perfectly within his right in saying that he declines to make any further answer.
§ MR. MACNEILLVery well, I will give him a bad quarter of an hour on the Estimates. [Laughter.]
§ CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to guard against the repetition of such scandals on future St. Patrick Days?
§ MR. BRODRICKIt is impossible for me to give any other answer than I have given. Every man in the Army who desires to wear any emblem which is not part of the authorised and recognised uniform can only do so by the permission of his commanding officer.
MR. MAC'NEILLI beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether the Northumberland Fusiliers, 103 on the 23rd April, St. George's Day, wore on parade, in accordance with the custom of the regiment on that day, each a red and white rose as a national emblem in his regimentals; and on what principle Irish soldiers in the British Army are punished or insulted for wearing the Irish national emblem on St. Patrick's Day?
§ MR. BRODRICKThe Secretary of State has no information as to the wearing of roses by the Northumberland Fusiliers on April 23; but as it has been the custom of the regiment for more than 200 years so to distinguish the day under authority from the commanding officer, it is probable they did wear them; individual soldiers in corps in which no such custom exists can only wear emblems if authorised by the commanding officer.
§ MR. MACNEILLsaid the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the second part of the Question.
§ MR. BRODRICKWhat the hon. Gentleman, I understand, maintains is that an Irish soldier may wear anything he pleases on a particular day. [Laughter and cries of"No !"] The answer is that, for the wearing of anything beyond the authorised uniform, whatever the emblem may be, authority must be obtained from the officer commanding the regiment. [Cheers.]
§ CAPTAIN DONELANasked whether the custom of wearing the shamrock was not even more ancient than that of wearing the rose?
§ MR. MACNEILLI would ask whether, as there are 20,000 Irish soldiers—
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder! The hon. Member is raising an argument. The Question has been fully answered. Whether he is satisfied with the answer is another matter.
§ MR. MACNEILLI am utterly dissatisfied. [Laughter.]